Water Resources (Environment)

Water sustains large human activities without adequate care. Portable water supply is vital for health and survival. In Nigeria, the Niger Delta region often suffers from the availability of portable water. The demand is on the rise and the available water is continuously under threat. Discussed in this paper are threats to sustainable water supply and management which include; equipment and infrastructure decay, lack of accessibility and maintenance, poor management, indiscriminate dumping of refuse in ponds, rivers and other water bodies, oil leakage from exploration activities and high rate of abstraction attributed to high demand for portable water caused by population increase in the region. The strategies suggested for remediating these challenges include; adequate management of water resources by government and related stakeholders, public sensitization, surveillance of water projects, efficiency of water use, efficient waste disposal systems and effective legislation and policy implementation for sustainable water supply and management in the Niger Delta.

Seepages and subsequent mining of bitumen could impact negatively on water, by causing pollution and reducing the quality of water needed. The study was conducted in Ode-Irele bitumen belt of Ondo State where there are bitumen seepages, and Ebute-Irele without any record of bitumen seepages served as control. Composite samples of surface water to a depth of 30 cm midstream on the sites were collected. Physico-chemical parameters of watercarbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, sulphur, sulphate, ammonia, nitrate, alkalinity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), turbidity, temperature, conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and pH were determined using standard analytical methods. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and t-test at p = 0.05. Values obtained were compared with recommended Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines. Results of the study showed that seepage sites had significantly highest mean values of sulphur, 17.65 ± 2.82 mg/l and sulphate, 5.99 ± 0.78 mg/l in surface water than 11.42 ± 2.82mg/l and 3.77 ± 0.78 mg/l respectively in control. It was found that positive associations hold between COD and each of BOD and pH with the association between COD and BOD being significant (p < 0.05). Sulphate , ammonia, nitrate , and alkalinity, as well as TDS, TSS, turbidity, temperature, electrical conductivity, COD and BOD have positive associations with sulphur. Among these, the levels of ammonia , COD, BOD and electrical conductivity were found to be higher than WHO and FEPA guidelines. Physico-chemical parameters of water such as sulphur, sulphate, COD, turbidity and electrical conductivity which were found to be higher than guideline values in the bitumen belt of Ondo State could have negative impacts on the environment, and this should be closely monitored during bitumen development.

The Flint water crisis serves as a concrete example ofhow limited media coverage and political miscommunication during the initial stages mutedlocal alarms, increasing public health risks. Thus, the question that this paper seeks to exploreis ‘How did the attenuation of risk perception during the early stages of the Flint Water Crisis contribute to delayed public awareness and inadequate responses from authorities?’. This paper is produced for the course Governing threats: risk, vulnerability and preparedness, part of the Msc Crisis and Security Management of Leiden University. Academic year 2024-2025.

With the development of epifluorescence microscopy and sensitive radioisotope techniques, high abundance and activity of microorganisms was observed in marine waters since 1970s and 1980s. These observations resulted in a new concept of rapid turn-over and recycling of organic matter through a ‘microbial loop’ (Azam et al., 1983; Azam, 1998). Figure 5.1 illustrates fluxes of material through the marine microbial loop. Main processes are C fixation by photosynthetic microorganisms (prokaryotic and eukaryotic) with exudation losses of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM), which is incorporated by heterotrophic bacteria. Phagotrophic protists in turn graze both autotrophs and bacteria producing ‘sloppy feeding’ loss of DOM, which returns to the loop. DOM is remineralized by all microorganisms into Dissolved Inorganic Nutrients (DIN), which are taken up by autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms.EU contract EVK3-CT1999-00002info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

This study aimed to assess the influence of treated wastewater disposal on Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (South Portugal), the largest national producer of bivalve mollusks. Water quality was evaluated at two areas under different wastewater loads and hydrodynamic conditions, using physico-chemical variables, bacterial indicators of contamination, chlorophyll-a concentration, phytoplankton abundance and composition. Samples were collected monthly, between October 2018 and September 2019. Minor influence of effluent discharge was detected at the eastern Olhão area, exposed to stronger hydrodynamics and higher wastewater load than the northwestern Faro area (ca. 2-4-fold total nitrogen and phosphorus). The lower load weakly flushed area showed a poorer water quality, up to 500 m from the discharge point, more marked during the spring-summer period. The intensity, persistence, and spatial extent of the wastewater footprint, lower for the highest-loading area, reflected the role of local hydrodynamic conditions, modulating the influence of wastewater discharge on lagoonal water quality.

The comparative analyses of different boreholes water qualities in Kurutie and Kunukunuma communities have been done. The two boreholes' water was bottled in two separate bottles of 100cl cans and labelled Sample A and Sample B, and they were preserved in a cool place before it was transported to the laboratory for physical, chemical and biological analysis. The laboratory experiments carried out are pH, BOD5, TDS, DO, Nitrate, Turbidity and Hardness respectively. The results of the experiment show that the borehole water of Kurutie has pH-8.2, DO-3.6mg/L, BOD5-2.3mg/L, Conductivity-417 µS/cm, TDS-208mg/L, Nitrate-0.4mg/L, Turbidity-3.0NTU and water hardness of 202.3mg/L. While that of the Kunukunuma borehole water contains pH-7.1, DO-3.0mg/L, BOD5-1.9mg/L, Conductivity-341 µS/cm, TDS-171mg/L, Nitrate-24mg/L, Turbidity-13NTU and water hardness of 122mg/L respectively. The results were compared to the WHO standard, and they are in agreement except for the water hardness of Kurutie borehole water, which is about 2.3mg/L higher. It was recommended that water treatment should be done on Kurutie water to reduce the water hardness because other studies have also proved these results to be true.

Zeolite is well known for its excellent adsorption properties, making it a popular choice for water and wastewater treatment. However, clinoptilolite, the most common type of natural zeolite, has a relatively low capacity for ammonium adsorption. This study aimed to improve its performance by treating natural clinoptilolite with 1 M NaOH and KOH solutions. Batch experiments were conducted to examine how solution pH, contact time, initial ammonium concentration, adsorbent amount, and type of chemical modifier affect adsorption efficiency. The highest adsorption capacity was achieved with NaOH-treated clinoptilolite under optimal conditions: pH 8, 120 minutes contact time, 100 mg/L initial ammonium, and 4 g/L adsorbent, reaching a capacity of 17.03 mg/g. Desorption tests using 0.1 M NaCl over five cycles confirmed the reusability of the modified material with minimal performance loss. Isotherm modeling closely matched both Langmuir and Freundlich models, suggesting the coexistence of monolayer and multilayer adsorption processes. Overall, the modified clinoptilolite shows strong potential as an efficient and economical adsorbent for ammonium removal in wastewater treatment.

The emergence of a new era in global politics has replaced the risks and contradictions associated with the former bipolar model. The prevalence of such threats has escalated under present conditions marked by the growing interdependence among nations, which has led to adverse effects on regional security systems. The collapse of the Soviet Union as a prominent global force and the subsequent breakdown of its sphere of influence were significant catalysts for these accomplishments. Additionally, these advancements have led to the creation of new government structures that prioritize the safeguarding of their own national interests. The ongoing crisis in Afghanistan poses a significant obstacle for the wider regional community within this context.

Wykorzystanie paliw biomasowych w ogrzewnictwie indywidualnym na obszarach zagrożonych niską emisją Streszczenie. W artykule przedstawiono zagadnienia dotyczące wykorzystania paliw biomasowych w ogrzewnictwie indywidualnym na obszarach zagrożonych niską emisją. W Polsce zauważalny jest dynamiczny rozwój zastosowania w bilansie energetycznym energii pochodzącej ze źródeł odnawialnych. Efekt ten związany jest z przyjęciem proekologicznych aktów prawnych w krajach członkowskich Unii Europejskiej. Niestety nie przekłada się to na widoczną poprawę jakości powietrza na obszarach zagrożonych niską emisją. Autorzy zaprezentowali w artykule uproszczony model wytwarzania i zaopatrywania mieszkańców wybranej gminy powiatu krakowskiego w paliwo pochodzenia biomasowego do celów grzewczych i przygotowania ciepłej wody użytkowej. Koncepcja modelu oparta jest na realizowanym polsko-norweskim projekcie pt. From Field to Energy. Autorzy wskazują na zalety lokalnej produkcji paliwa z biomasy na cele grzewcze. Uzyskany efekt środowiskowy jest możliwy poprzez konwersję stosowanych technologii i technik spalania w indywidualnych kotłowniach. Jest to szczególnie istotne na terenach, gdzie odnotowuje się przekroczenia emisji pyłów PM 10 i PM 2,5. Wskazano także wzrost zatrudnienia i rozwój lokalnej infrastruktury w wyniku realizacji projektu.

The threats of a new era in international relations have come to replace the old threats and contradictions of the bipolar system. These threats have stated themselves louder than ever earlier in the present condition of greater interdependence of states, affecting their security systems. The main features of these changes are associated with the exit of the USSR from the world arena as a superpower and disintegration of its colossal sphere of influence as well as emergence of new states, pursuing their national interests. In this backdrop, the unending war in Afghanistan is a grave matter as much to the security of Central Asian countries as to India too. The US-led anti-terrorist coalition campaign which was launched in October 2001 and which was later turned into NATO-ISAF program is scheduled to end after 2014, leaving the region in uncertainty. This has generated plausible apprehensions about security and stability in Central and South Asian regions. Following the weakening of Russian influence, new Central Asian states are faced with the necessity of prioritizing between internal consolidation, on the one hand, and regional economic and political integration, on the other. These choices, although do not contradict each other, they do not coincide yet either. No matter how things stand, the situation prompts the need for these states to face the issue of national security, which did not exist for them earlier.1 The focus of this paper is primarily on various security issues facing Central Asia as a region in general.

Iraq faces numerous environmental challenges. Pollution and land degradation have created significant adverse effects on health, socioeconomic conditions, and the ecosystem. Consequently, ecological research has become a matter of urgency (Jaber Hashim, 2017). However, despite high demand for ecological research, multiple barriers prevent accurate measurement of the state of research funding within Iraq. The lack of easily accessible information on funding mechanisms and instruments remains a key obstacle to understanding the topic (Development Research Center (IDRC), 2005). A concise examination of funding mechanisms and instruments addresses the subject's complex nature and provides a foundation for further independent inquiries.

This study focusses on a method for estimating the urban recharge and evaluating the ground water quality for drinking and irrigation purposes. The study was carried out in the Liverpool Local Government Area of New South Wales, Australia, and it included year-long monitoring of four boreholes for the water table depth and water quality. Average depth of water table was in the range of 1 to 4 m from the land surface. The pattern of variations in the water table depth (WTD) varied across the four boreholes. The WTD variations between borehole 2 (BH2) and borehole 3 (BH3) were similar, but significantly different variations were exhibited in BH1 and BH 4, with BH1 showing a quicker response to rainfall events. The presence of lake appears to have influenced the recharge pattern in the adjacent area as reflected in the WTD variations in BH3 and BH4. The recharge rates for BH3 and BH4 was about 2 to 5 times higher than those observed for BH1 and BH2, which are located at a relatively greater distance from the lake. This indicates that the presence of urban lakes can influence recharge rate in the area. Water quality analysis indicated higher salt and turbidity levels, which may be attributed to the local geology (the Wianamatta group) present in the study area and/or possible saltwater intrusion. This has implications for the treatment cost associated with the supply of the groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes. Pearson's analysis indicated a significant correlation between EC, TDS, Turbidity and pH. The turbidity of groundwater varied between 33 and 530 NTU, indicating that the turbidity may have been affected by the dissolution of salt deposits via colloidal particles. Significant variations in groundwater quality during rainy periods, also, indicated the existence of groundwater recharge in the study area. This study highlights the issues associated with the groundwater recharge and quality management in urban landscapes and provides a basis for further research.

This paper studied the enhanced effects of ultrasonic as non-chemical oxidant on traditional coagulation of raw water with alum for microorganisms' removal. The treatment processes were studied using ultrasonic frequencies; 20, 40 and 60 KHz at different time intervals namely 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes. The study revealed that removal percentage of Total Coliform, Faecal Coliform and Faecal Streptococcus ranged between 5% -46%. There was a positive correlation between ultrasonic intensity, sonication time and bacterial removal. There are clear morphological changes in the algal organisms without cell disruption especially green algae due to the release of photosynthetic pigments "Chlorophyll". No changes of chlorophyll "a" content were detected. Pretreated samples with 20, 40, and 60 KHz ultrasonic frequencies for 60 min decreased the alum dose by 6.7 %, 13.3 % and 20 % respectively.

Excess runoff-induced soil erosion significantly degrades farmland fertility, quality, agricultural productivity, and long-term sustainability. Although Fanya Juu terraces are widely implemented for mitigating these effects, previous studies rarely examined how slope position and conservation age influence soil recovery, as they focused on broad effectiveness. This study addressed the gap by analyzing soil characteristics

Excess runoff-induced soil erosion significantly degrades farmland fertility, quality, agricultural productivity, and long-term sustainability. Although Fanya Juu terraces are widely implemented for mitigating these effects, previous studies rarely examined how slope position and conservation age influence soil recovery, as they focused on broad effectiveness. This study addressed the gap by analyzing soil characteristics

This study investigates the environmental impact of industrial pollution on the Okchu River, a critical water resource in the South Caucasus region. Originating from Kapicik Mountain and spanning 83 kilometers through Armenia and Azerbaijan, the river has been heavily polluted by copper-molybdenum mining activities near Gafan and Gajaran, Armenia. The research aims to assess the extent of heavy metal contamination, particularly copper, iron, and nickel, and its ecological implications on the river's fauna and groundwater quality. Key findings reveal that concentrations of copper-molybdenum compounds in the river exceed permissible limits, posing significant health risks to local populations dependent on the river for water supply and irrigation. The study utilizes historical and recent data, including water and sediment analyses, to illustrate the worsening ecological condition of the Okchu River. Environmental monitoring conducted by both Azerbaijani and international agencies highlights the urgent need for remedial actions to mitigate further deterioration and protect the region's fragile ecosystems. Despite its substantial hydropower potential, estimated at 130 million kWh annually, the Okchu River is now among the world's most polluted rivers, unfit for human use without extensive treatment. This study underscores the necessity for cross-border cooperation and sustainable management practices to restore and preserve the ecological integrity of the Okchu River basin.

Learning outcome-Self-discipline, responsibility, and legal awareness. Unity of thought, collective responsibility, and purpose. Respect for systems, patience, and procedural thinking. Understanding that strictness and care can coexist under law. Respect for knowledge, innovation with ethics. This is my legal self-improvement, not blind obedience.

The Tonle Sap Initiative, launched by the Asian Development Bank in the early 2000s, offers an overlooked case of proto-environmental peacebuilding. Developed in Cambodia's fragile post-conflict context, it combined participatory resource management, multilevel coordination, and shared knowledge systems to address structural vulnerabilities in the Tonle Sap basin. Although not framed as peacebuilding, it operationalized mechanisms later formalized in environmental peacebuilding theory and shows that development practice was generating peace-enabling conditions before the field had a name. It illustrates how integrated environmental governance can function as peace infrastructure and broadens the field's understanding of where environmental peacebuilding emerges and how it takes shape.

Corn plants are the second most important food crop after rice; however, climate anomalies will affect the amount of production that is related to the water requirements available during the process of growing corn plants. This study aims to determine the amount of effective rainfall in one year and the need for irrigation water in one planting season, the water requirements for maize in a particular planting period and the comparison of the rate of evapotranspiration and the level of water that must be available to plants. This research was conducted from May to September 2014 at the Agricultural Technology Research Institute (BPTP) of South Sulawesi, Gowa Regency. The data obtained in the field was then processed using the simulation method of a Windows-based application, Cropwat 8.0. The results show that the water needs of corn plants in each growth phase are: 107 mm/decade in the early development phase, 132.9 mm / decade in the mid-phase, and 107.4 mm / decade in the late phas...

Freshwater scarcity persists as a critical and escalating challenge for millions of individuals across the globe, with pronounced severity in arid and semi-arid climatic regions. Watersheds function as indispensable natural infrastructure, delivering a suite of vital goods and services-including but not limited to the provision of clean water, the conservation of biodiversity, the mitigation of soil erosion, and the sequestration of atmospheric carbon. However, the economic valuation of these ecosystem services remains conspicuously absent from conventional market systems, leading to their systematic undervaluation and mismanagement. Although numerous nations have enacted legislative frameworks intended to regulate the access and utilization of watershed resources, the implementation of these statutes is frequently hampered by institutional inefficiencies, fragmented governance, and a lack of enforceable compliance mechanisms. This manuscript undertakes a comprehensive reconnoitering of sustainable watershed management paradigms through a systematic review and synthesis of extant secondary literature. It posits that a participatory, integrated approach-one that deliberately incorporates and balances the physical, vegetative, and anthropogenic components intrinsic to watershed systems-is not merely beneficial but essential for long-term resilience. A central thesis advanced herein is that the fundamental socio-political quandary of watershed management lies in its recurrent failure to distribute associated benefits and costs equitably. This inequity often engenders latent or overt conflict between upstream and downstream communities, undermining collective action and sustainability goals Consequently, efficacious watershed management must be conceived and executed in a manner that concurrently addresses biophysical degradation processes while satisfying the criteria of social acceptability, political viability, and economic feasibility. The culminating argument underscores the necessity of internalizing watershed externalities-both costs and benefitsthrough innovative governance and economic instruments. The objective is to forge a cooperative scenario wherein all stakeholders, from local communities to national agencies, perceive a tangible and justifiable stake in the sustainable stewardship of these critical hydrological units.

Katedra 'lcchnologii i 'fowaroznawstwa, Politechnika Radomska Wstęp i cel pracy Pogarszający sic.; stan środowiska naturalnego, malejące zasoby konwencjonalnych źródeł energii oraz poszukiwanie nowych dróg poprawy kondycji ekonomicznej skłaniają podmioty gospodarcze do zmniejszania nieuzasadnionego poboru energii. Postulaty środowiskowe UE, które znalazły swoje odwzorowanie w postaci krajowych dokumentów-wytycznych [STRATEGIA Rozworn E:--ERGETYKI OD:-.:AWIALNEJ 2001 j, obligują do jak najszerszej substytucji paliw kopalnych odnawialnymi źródłami energii (OZE). Jak wykazują badania [ STRATEGIA ROZWOJU ENERGETYKI ODNAWIALNEJ 2001] w Polsce najwic.;kszy potencjał techniczny energii odnawialnej kryje biomasa, w tym również stała postać organicznych odpadów lub produktów ubocznych pochodzących z przemysłu rolno-spożywczego. Wśród branż krajowego przemysłu rolno-spożywczego, szczególnie wysoka energochłonność cechuje przemysł cukrowniczy [MALCZEWSKI, URBANIEC 1994; WomALSKI i in. 1998]. Do zasilania energetycznego procesów produkcyjnych w zakładach cukrowniczych służy głównie energia cieplna, wyzwalana we własnych kotłowniach w procesie spalania wc.;gla kamiennego. Mimo, iż poziom zużycia wc.;gla na potrzeby produkcyjne cukrowni sukcesywnie obniża sic.; [INFORMACJA 2002] dzic.;ki modernizacjom procesu technologicznego oraz aparatury [URBANIEC 1994], nadal każdy uzasadniony ekonomicznie i ekologicznie sposób redukcji zużycia paliwa wc.;glowcgo w przemyśle cukrowniczym powinien być brany pod uwagc.;. • Źródła litcraturowe wskazują, że substytutem tradycyjnego paliwa w cukrowniach mają szanse.; stać sic.; wysłodki buraczane [OTOR0WSKI 1990; SCHLIEPHAKE i in. 1992;. Obecnie są przeznaczane na pasze.;. Jednak w sytuacji ograniczonego zapotrzebowania na pasze.; tego rodzaju cukrownie mogą stanąć przed problemem zagospodarowania nadwyżek ilościowych wysłodków. W takim wypadku jedno z możliwych rozwiązań mogłaby stanowić ich termiczna utylizacja z wykorzystaniem energii cieplnej dla potrzeb technologicznych cukrowni. Nic mniej ważnym efektem paliwowego zagospodarowania biomasy wysłod kowej, związanym z ograniczeniem zużycia wc.;gla, byłby spadek emisyjności nieprzyjaznych środowisku gazów i pyłów, a w konsekwencji redukcja opłat emisyjnych uiszczanych przez cukrownie.

The increasing needs of electric power, especially at Java-Bali, cause some problems in its fulfillment. Many efforts must be done to overcome those problems by considering many handicaps that will be faced, negative effect that occur and also its settlement must be effective and efficient. Among the available alternatives, the study use optimization technique and analyze performance of Saguling reservoir (included in a Java-Bali PLN interconnection net work) become a choice. Optimizing method use in the study is a stochastic dynamic program and continued with simulation. Success of optimizing technique was shown by performance of reservoir in form of reliability, resiliency, and vulnerability. On the simulation, reservoir was assumed to undergo a failure if release optimizing can not fulfill half demand that has been determined. The study shows that, the application of system analyzes technique (stochastic dynamic program) is very helpful to optimize the operation of reservoir. The annual average electric product, resulted from optimization increases and better than the existing operation pattern by 21.29 % from 2,385 GWH to 2,892 GWH. From simulation that calculate the performances of Saguling reservoir based on optimize operation pattern, the reservoir has reliability level of 91.67 % indicating there is 8.33 % of failures. After a failure in order to return to previous success condition, it will take 1 month because of its big resiliency. The amount of deficit ratio from the amount of target release is 0.085 indicating that only 0.85 % water supplied from PLTA can not fulfilled the target release in the time of failure. Maximum value of deficit ratio is 0.37 and the maximum deficit amount of Sanguling reservoir is 26.408 m3/sec. So that, the application of stochastic dynamic program that is combined with the simulation model can be used as a guides in analyzing the operation policy of a reservoir and give guarantee of the continuous operational in fulfilling the electric consumption needs.

This Essay calls for a critical transformation in humanity’s relationship with water, shifting away from the dominant western paradigm of sustainable integrated water resources management (IWRM) to water justice ethics, a life-affirming ethical relationship with water.
The sustainable IWRM paradigm is superior to earlier twentieth century versions of water resources management because it acknowledges water and aquatic ecosystems are intimately connected to human welfare and utilizes a participatory process for water decisions. Nonetheless, the roots of the paradigm are a fundamentally flawed anthropocentric utilitarian ethical perspective, an even more fatally flawed neoliberal economic model, and an unrealistic sense of human abilities to predict and control nature. Further, that paradigm depends on pluralistic consultation processes to provide sustainable outcomes, which is unrealistic in a world of severe wealth inequality and continuing marginalization of Indigenous peoples and other minorities. Most significantly, the paradigm has failed miserably; it simply does not provide all life with sufficient, high-quality water.
Instead, we argue that humanity must transform its relationship with water and adopt a life-affirming ethical relationship with water, which we term water justice ethics. We must collectively learn from secular and faith-based formulations of water justice ethics. We must also learn from the Indigenous values and practices of reverence, respect, and protection of water. At the core, water justice ethics seeks to assure that people, fish, wildlife, and plants have the quintessential requirement of life: water to support their populations, communities, and ecosystems.
To embed water justice ethics in our societies, we must make transformative changes in several spheres: individual awareness and conscience; social norms and political expectations; economic incentives; and institutional structure. This Essay suggests strategies in these diverse spheres to accomplish the mission of transforming water.
The Essay ends on a note of hope, suggesting that the ascendance of environmental justice in our society is creating conditions that may allow water justice ethics to emerge as the new paradigm for human relationships with water.